Alchymy Company Award Announced

The Alchymy Company Award offers a unique opportunity to an early-career theatre company to help them develop and showcase a new piece of work, initially for performance at Alchymy Festival in April 2019, but in the longer term for programming at The North Wall or elsewhere. The piece of work can be written or devised. The award will be judged by journalist, Lyn Gardner, co-Directors of The North Wall, Ria Parry and John Hoggarth and Alchymy Festival producer, Ellie Keel.

10 applications will be shortlisted and will receive feedback from the judging panel.

The winning company, announced in November 2018, will receive:

Free rehearsal space at The North Wall with accommodation and meals included for up to eight company members for two weeks preceding Alchymy Festival which will take place in April 2019.

Performances of the show at Alchymy Festival in The North Wall’s main space (180 seats), with a 50:50 box office split.

A contribution of £1,500 to the company’s fundraising.

A contribution to travel expenses of up to £40 per person for eight company members.

Artistic, technical and dramaturgical support from The North Wall.

Production support from Alchymy Festival.

Ongoing support after the festival to help get the production programmed in other venues.

Award Guidelines:

Applications from companies that foreground working class, BAME, migrant, and/or LGBTQ+ theatre makers are strongly encouraged. Alchymy Festival and The North Wall are committed to the diversification of the theatre industry and to supporting those who face disproportionate barriers to accessing and establishing themselves within the industry.

The Alchymy Company Award is open to new writing, new adaptations of existing texts, or devised work. The show must not previously have been performed or developed elsewhere.

The finished production must be no longer than 2 hours in duration.

Companies who apply must have been formed no more than 5 years ago. They do not need to be Limited Companies, or registered in any official sense, to be eligible for the Award.

Companies must include a director, a writer (if applicable), a designer, and a producer. The production does not have to be cast at the point of application.

The winning company will be asked to commit to raising enough additional funds to pay all team members Equity minimum rates for the duration of their rehearsal period.

How to apply:

Please send the following documents to Ellie Keel, Alchymy Producer, on keele@thenorthwall.com. All enquiries relating to the Award should also be sent to this address.

A pitch document of no more than 2 A4 pages. This pitch document should describe (in whichever way you like) the show you want to make, and the ways the show and your company will benefit from the Alchymy Company Award.

In no more than 1 side of A4, please highlight who is involved in your project.

If the work is scripted, a full draft of the script must be submitted alongside this.

The deadline for applications is Monday 1st October at noon. Applications received after this point will not be considered. Shortlisted companies will be notified in late October and the winning company will be decided in early November.

The Alchymy Company Award is made possible by the generous support of our principal sponsor, St Edward’s School.

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